1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a paper magazine for containing a recording paper roll of a thermal recording paper, a photographic paper and so forth. The paper magazine is removably set in a printer.
2. Description of the Related Art
As to printers, there are many types. In one type of the printer, a sheet-like recording paper which is cut in a predetermined size beforehand is used. In another type of the printer, a strip-like recording paper which is wound in a roll state is used. This strip-like recording paper is cut in a prescribed size after printing. With respect to a photo printer or a color thermal printer using a recording paper roll, a photographic paper or a color thermal recording paper constituting this recording paper roll has photosensitivity and optical fixing property. Thus, the recording paper roll is contained in the paper magazine having light shielding ability and moisture retention ability. This paper magazine containing the recording paper roll is set in the printer.
The above paper magazine is constituted of a magazine body made of a material having moisture retention property and light shielding property, and a magazine lid for opening and closing an opening through which the recording paper roll is inserted and removed. Further, the magazine body is provided with a roll rotating mechanism for rotating the recording paper roll by means of a drive unit of the printer, and a paper mouth from which a top of the recording paper is drawn out. This paper magazine is set into the printer in a state that the top of the recording paper of the recording paper roll contained in the magazine body is slightly drawn out from the paper mouth. The top of the recording paper drawn out from the paper mouth is nipped by, for example, conveyor rollers of the printer. With this, preparation for printing is over.
Such setting of the paper magazine into the printer is troublesome. Thus, in the paper magazine described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/895,498 (filed on Jul. 16, 1997 and corresponding to Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 10-29356), a mechanism for advancing the recording paper comprising a belt and a rollers is provided. The top of the recording paper is adapted to be automatically advanced out of the paper magazine set in the printer.
However, in most cases, the top of the recording paper comes into contact with a peripheral surface of the recording paper roll closely. Moreover, the color thermal recording paper and the photographic paper are comparatively thick and have a certain degree of hardness. In this case, there arises a problem in that the top of the recording paper is sometimes not advanced from the paper mouth, although the recording paper roll is rotated. Further, even if the top of the recording paper is separated from the periphery of the recording paper roll, sometimes, the top of the recording paper is not properly led to the paper mouth. At this time, the top of the recording paper is caught on vicinity of the paper mouth. Accordingly, there arises another problem in that the recording paper is bent in the paper magazine. The above problems become more conspicuous when diameter of the recording paper roll becomes small as the recording paper is used.